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SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLII. No. 1085 



highest maintained by independent scientific 

 journals, whether in the field of pure or ap- 

 plied science. The journal is being given an 

 extremely comprehensive standard library cir- 

 culation throughout the world. For the first 

 time it provides a medium of publication, al- 

 together worthy of the best American work in 

 agricultural science. 



Will the stations support the Journal of 

 Agricultural Research by sending to it speci- 

 mens of their best output? The past year's 

 experience indicates that the Journal meets a 

 real need and will be supported by the stations. 

 Papers have been published or accepted for 

 publication from the following stations: Cali- 

 fornia, Montana, Utah, Minnesota, Illinois, 

 Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, Ken- 

 tucky, both New York stations, Pennsylvania 

 (Institute for Animal Nutrition), New Jersey, 

 North Carolina, Florida and Maine. Which is 

 not a bad showing for the first year! 



Altogether it seems to the writer to be in- 

 evitable, as the experiment stations take on 

 more and more the character of research insti- 

 tutions, and leave behind more and more that 

 type of activity which was essential at the 

 beginning, but is now being taken over by ex- 

 tension departments, that there will be all the 

 time an increasing proportion of the scientific 

 output published in the standard established 

 scientific journals. In this way only can it 

 take the place which is its due in the world's 

 scientific literature. 



Raymond Pearl 



THE NAVAL CONSULTATION BOAED 



The board appointed by national scientific 

 and engineering societies at the request of the 

 secretary of the navy met in Washington on 

 October Y. Officers were elected as follows: 



Chairman, Thomas A. Edison, Orange, N. J. 



First Vice-chairman, Peter Cooper Hewitt, New 

 York. 



Second Vice-chairman, William L. Saunders, 

 Plainfleld, N. J. 



Secretary, Thomas Eobins, Stamford, Conn. 



Assistant to Chairman, M. R. Hutchinson, 

 Orange, N. J. 



The board approved a plan for the establish- 

 ment of a research and experimental laboratory 

 for the United States navy, regarding which 

 a statement was made public as follows: 



1. The laboratory should be located on tide- 

 water of sufficient depth to permit a dreadnought 

 to come to the dock. (B) It should be near but 

 not in a large city, so that supplies may be easily 

 obtained and where labor is obtainable. 



2. The laboratory should be of complete equip- 

 ment, to enable working models to be made and 

 tested to destruction. There should be: (A) A 

 pattern shop; (B) a brass foundry; (C) a cast 

 iron and cast steel foundry; (D) machine shops 

 for large and small work; (E) sheet metal shop; 

 (F) forge shop for small and large work; (G) 

 marine railway large enough to build experimental 

 submarines of 1,500 tons; (H) woodworking shops; 

 (7) chemical laboratory; (J) physical laboratory; 

 (K) optical grinding department, etc.; (i) 

 motion picture developing and printing depart- 

 ment; (M) complete drafting rooms; (N) elec- 

 trical laboratory and wireless laboratory; (0) me- 

 chanical laboratory and testing machines; (P) ex- 

 plosives laboratory, removed from main labora- 

 tory. 



3. The building should be of modern concrete 

 construction, with metal sills and doors, wire glass 

 windows, etc. Ample fire protection. 



4. A naval officer of rank should be in charge. 

 He should be especially fitted. (B) Under him 

 should be naval heads of broad experience in lab- 

 oratory methods and science in general — practical 

 as well as theoretical men. They should not go to 

 sea. (C) Under them should be staffs of civilian 

 experimenters, chemists, physicists, etc. (D) Each 

 sub-head should have his corps of assistants, and 

 with shop facilities, without too much red tape. 

 (E) There should be at least two, and possibly 

 three, shifts of men. Time should be the essence 

 of the place. 



5. Secrecy should be the governing factor. The 

 place should be surrounded by a high fence and 

 guard maintained at all hours. No visitors al- 

 lowed. 



6. Eacilities should exist for enabling the in- 

 ventor to assist in the development of the idea he 

 has presented, provided he is a practical man. 



7. The investment for grounds, buildings and 

 equipment should total approximately $5,000,000. 



8. The annual operating expenses to be between 

 $2,500,000 and $3,000,000. 



